Liquid seal for absorption systems



LMZAQZ Jam. 26,, W32. A. c. SCHICKLER LIQUID SEAL FOR ABSORPTION SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 8

Patented Jan. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PAT annular c. SGH'ICKLER, or onnvnrjnnn, onro, AssIGnon TO 7 Y CLEVELAND, 0510 mourn sE'AL FOR A Application filed September This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to absorption systems and means for maintaining the proper head or column of refrigerant in the evapoa rator.

in absorption retrigeratingsystems great olificulty is encountered in maintaining the proper column of refrigerant in the -evapo rator under all conditions and especially in t the face of the ever present tendency for the u l onia gas, for example,during the boiling period, to carry over with it some of the absorbingagent, which collects in the evaporator, reduces its efficiency and ultimately ll blocks the entire system. Various suckbacks and other'devices for draining the undesiralole absorbing agent back to the boilerat difterent stages of the process have been prbvided but they have not been fool proof and t0 do not function consistently throughout a long period of repeated refrigerating and heating cycles. The present invention has overcome these difiiculties by providing a suck back trap preferably located close to and in t counication with the bottom of the evaporator and connected by its drain to the same pipe or conduit which conveys the expanded gas back to the boiler from the evaporator. This arrangement seems to produce such a 30 balancing of pressures within the evaporator and trap and indeed, 'within this portion of the circuit, such that the proper column of refrigerant is maintained in the evaporator and undesirable collection of absorbing agent in this part of the apparatus is avoided.

Uther features of the invention will be brought out moretully in the following description, drawings and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a refrigerating system including the present invention andFig. 2 is a sectional view of the suck back trap. ile the invention, in its broadest scope, is applicable to i'nany difi'erent kinds of relrigerating systems or apparatus, it has been shown for purposes of illustration in connection with an intermittent cyclic absorption system, including a suitable still 1 adapted to receive a charge of aqua ammonia, for example, to a levelsubstantially that indi- A diametricall JEN'I? omen Ennnnn a ALLYNE, or

nsoarrron SYSTEMS s, 192}. Serial No. 218,280.

cated at A in Fig. 1. This still is provided W1l3h a reentrant well 2 in its side; Connected near the bottom and at its ends is a suitable cooling loop comprising the vertical leg 3, a sediment trap 4, an upturned vertical 'por-- tion 5, and a more horizontal portion 6 leading to an inlet connection 7 entering the opposite end of the boiler. This loop is provided with heat radiating I Connected to the top of the boiler is a as outlet pipe 9 extending through a suita le cooling jacket 10 supplied with cooling water by the circulating pipes 11 and 12. This forms a rectifier-for relieving the gas of some of ts'entrained absorbing agent, which the. 6

rectifier-collects and drains back into the boiler. The opposite end of the pipe 9 is connected to a riser loop 13 extendingto a conj siderable height and-connecting to a return -gas pipe 14. The former of these twopipes is of relativel 'large diameter to furnish additionalrectlfying means. The lower end of the pipe. 14 extends down to a point near. the bottom of a trap yvell 15 adapted tocontain a qu ntity of mercur or-other heavy sealing liri ui'd. The side 0 the trapnear its top is connected to a pipe 16 leading toxthe top of a condenser coil 17. The condenser coil and a portion of the. loop, including a part of the leg 3,the sediment trap 4, the portion .5 and portion 6 are all enclosed in a tank 18 adapted to he supplied'with cooling water by means of the pipes 19 and 20: p The trap 15 is also connected to a pipe 21 to substantially. the same height as the pipe 13 and then returning in a downwardly extending pipe 22 to the lower part of the more vertical'loop portion 5 inside of the .tank'18. The bottom of the condenser communicates with a pipe 23 which leads up to the evaporator storage tank 24: located in a heat-insulating casing 24a of the refrigerator or box; This liquid ammonia storage tank is provided .-with an outlet pipe 25 connected to the top of an ice freezing coil 26'arranged .in a heat insulat-ed freezing compartment 27 closed by a M suitable insulated front door 28-' The outlet pipe 25 is also connected to the top of a cool-' ingchamber coil 29 located in a flue or bay 30 y opposed to pipe 16 and rising 1 preferably forming a part of the'casing for lating this shutter air circulation through the flue may be controlled at the top. The lower part of the flue communicates through an opening 34 with the main cooling chamber of the box'.-.

The lower ends of both coils 23 and- 29 are connected to a common sump or header 35,

which communicatesby a vertical ipe 36 directly with the bottom of the supp y tank 24. This pipe 36 may be provided with a heat insulating jacket 37 for decreasing evaporation therein and providing a means for directheat insulated tank 24 to-theheader 35 and to the bottoms of the coils 26 and 29 and allowing evaporation and boiling in these two coils with discharge of gas through the pipe 23. a a f ly extending pipe 38arwhich leads to the bottom of a suck back trap casing comprising the lower sump .38 and an enlarged upper portion 39. A pipe 23a extends through the side of the casing 39 just above the center I and extends to and is in communication with the vertical leg of the pipe 23, as shown. The

sump 38 of this trap is provided with a bath of mercury 40 sufliclent in quantity to balance in the pipe 38a and the entire evaporator the desired column or'charge of liquefied ammonia. Any excess or any additional absorb.- ing agent which comes over during heating or distillation will pass this trap and flow back thence into the cooling loop and back to the boiler. This arrangement of the suck back trap in a closed circuit with the-upper part i .of the pipe 23 and the evaporator produces very effective operation of the suck back and does not resultin unbalanced pressures which might interfere with the proper maintenance- .of-the desired column of liquefied aminoni'a in theevaporatorc The boiler {may be .provided with a gas burner 41 having a mixer 42and'a supply line 43 having a valve 70. l

In operation during the heating period the gas is driven, over from the boiler'thrqugh the rectifier to the trap 15, thence to the top of the condenser 17. Here the 'gas collects in liquefied form and is ultimately forced up to the evaporator storage tank 24 through the pipe 23. At the storage tank it passes down into the two coils, if they are'empty,.and'into r the suck backtrap. Here the mercury column issufficient to maintain the predetermiiled desired head'or column of liquid ammonia but any excess or any heavier absorbing agent will pass the trap and flow down way back intothe bottom of the boiler through the loop. By having the suck back trap connected to the gas return pipe from the evaporator all the pressures in and about the circuit formed between the evaporator and suck back trap will be balanced so that no undue effect is produced upon the trap. This advantageous result follows even more particularly when the absor tion system is arranged to have the gas o w to-, and return from, the evaporator through onep line, as in the disclosure in Fig, 1.

By having the suck back trap itself consisting 'of a' lower sump for the sealing liquid and an enlarged elongated upper portion with the evaporator pipe extending to substantial- 1y delivering the liquid ammonia from the ly the bottom of the sump and the drain back; a

pipe from the trap extending to substantially the center of the enlarged portion,,the-

system when the apparatus is tilted or moved The header 35 is connected to a downward- 1. Refrigerating apparatus of the intermit T tent absorption type, comprisng an evaporator, a condenser, still-absorber means,

means for conducting. condensed refrigerant to the evaporator, and trap means connected .to drain by gravity from the bottom of the' evaporator to said conducting means and containing a heavy sealing liquid, the entire orator to its connection to the conducting means lyingbelow the evaporator, thereby draining weak liquor from the evaporator to said conducting means. I

- 2'. Refrigerating ap aratus of the type described in claim 1; w crein .the tra trap means from its connection to theevapthrough the pipe 23 to the condenser, from, which it is forced over into the trap, 15 and maintaining a predetermined column of de-' ,sirable refrigerant within the evaporator and v means comprisesa casing for containing sald heavy sealin liquid, a pipe leading from the bot-' tom 0 the evaporator to a point below thesurface of the sealing liquid in said casing and another pipe leading from the space above saidsea; ing liquid to said refrigerant conducting means.

a 3. Refrigerating apparatus of the intermittent absorption type, comprising an evap' orator, a condenser, still-absorber means, a a

single pipe for supplying condenser i efr1g erant to and for returning expanded refrigerant from the evaporator to the still-ab- .sorber means, and trap means connected to" drain by gravity from the bottom of the evaporator to said pipe heavy sealingliquid, t e. entire trap means from its connection to the evaporator to its connection tdsaid pipe lying below the and containing a evaporator, thereb maintaining a predetermined column of esirable refrigerant within the evaporator and draining weak'liquor from the evaporator to saidpipe.

% 4. Refrigerating apparatus of the type described in claim 3, wherein the trap means comprises a casing including a lower sump for the heavy sealing liquid and a larger upper portion for recelving said sealing liquid w when the tra is tilted, a pipe leading from the bottom the evaporator to a low point in the sump below the level of sealing liquid therein, and another pipe entering. the larger upper portion of the casing and extending to substantially the center thereof and connected to the gas return pipe from the evaporator to the still-absorber means.

, In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my eignature.

m ALBERT G. SCHICKLER.

till 

